Yes, another year has rolled around and I find myself another decade older this time–sixty years old! For all you youngsters out there, you will eventually understand the reality of the often repeated phrase, “I don’t feel any older, I am the same person I have always been . . .” yet, truth be told, when I look in the mirror, I see the changes in my body and my face—gravity! Some days, my bones can be a little achy too. However, I am still as keenly interested in everything that makes like worth living: loving relationships, passion for learning, enjoyment of my surroundings, meaningful work and activity, and a good measure of health. I am committed to aging well.

Last year at this time, I was preparing for a parathyroidectomy—the surgical removal of a parathyroid gland that had become dysfunctional. The parathyroid glands play such an important role in body chemistry, bone production, and health. I was fortunate to find an excellent surgeon with a crack team, Dr. Michael Yeh, at UCLA. The surgery was successful and I have been experiencing a good recovery. Surgery, like chronic pain or illness, is always taxing to the body and can be very depleting. My main concern was how to support the healing process and to optimize the healing of the surgical incision. As many of my readers know, scar tissue is a topic I am keenly interested in and I am happy to report that the therapies I used post surgery supported the optimal healing of my surgical incision, leaving few internal adhesions.

I’m so grateful to have accumulated so much experience in the holistic field of medicine which has helped me come back stronger than before. At the present time, my personal health recovery regimen includes chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and movement and body alignment practices (Alexander Technique, Restorative Exercise, and Pilates). My goal this year is to become even more aware of my body alignment, knowing that the way I move in my body and how each part communicates with the next, will determine my capacity for regeneration and strength and will help me to correct and limit the patterns that underlie chronic degeneration. No matter what our age, isn’t that the best choice to make?

How will you support your self, your body, and your health this coming year?

P. S. I am so enjoying the gift that cumulative life experience brings to all aspects of my life!